In order to protect and support fragile breast tissue, both during athletic pursuits and everyday life, women must wear a garment that provides them with a high level of breast tissue support. Without sufficient support, many women experience physical pain in their breasts as well as permanent damage to their breast tissue.
However, many garments which provide a high level of support to breast tissue utilize shoulder straps to bear a majority of the weight of the breasts. This method of support often causes shoulder and neck pain. Other breast control garments utilize a tight rib band to support the breasts from underneath the breast tissue. Because this method of support depends on the tightness of the band around the wearer's torso, this method of support often causes pain to the torso and restricts breathing. Still other methods of breast control rely primarily on compression of the breasts toward the chest wall. This method of support squashes the breasts into the torso, causing discomfort, breathing restriction and an unflattering profile. Other methods of support employ molded cups to provide support to the breast tissue. This method of support fails to provide a high level of support to breast tissue and is unable to conform to the breast shape of the wearer. Still other methods of breast support rely on a combination of two or more of these methods of support.
Numerous activities exist that require women to be active while wearing garments that provide inadequate breast support. These activities include, but are not limited to, dance, figure skating, gymnastics, swimming, lifeguarding. As a result of this inadequate breast support, many women, especially those with a breast size of C-cup or greater, are excluded from participating in these activities.
With the increasing number of physically active women and the increase in the average cup size of the American woman to a 36DD, breast support garments that provide women with sufficient breast support without undue discomfort or restrictions on movement or breathing are integral to women's successful participation in numerous activities.